The start of works to rebuild Erdington Leisure Centre, one of three existing leisure centres across the city to be replaced by Birmingham Community Leisure Trust (BCLT), working in partnership with Birmingham City Council (BCC) has begun. A fourth centre at a new site at Icknield Port Loop in Edgbaston will also be built and managed by the Trust. Established in 2015, BCLT is tasked to create and maintain a first class range of health, leisure and recreational activities and facilities to serve all parts of the community. It is working in partnership with Birmingham City Council to revitalise the city's sport and leisure centres and offer value for money leisure services.
BCLT Chair, Brian Taylor said: “Today marks an important day for BCLT with work commencing on the first of our four new leisure centres. We anticipate the site will be open to the public in Autumn 2017 and look forward to offering the residents of Erdington and the local area a first class leisure centre. Users of the new Erdington Leisure Centre can look forward to a modern, user friendly site that aims to cater for all the needs of the local community. For an idea of how the new gym will feel I would encourage members to try our new gym at Wyndley Leisure Centre that opened in July this year.”
The £8million development at Erdington, which will be located on the Hart Road car park next to the current centre, will feature a 25 metre swimming pool, a teaching pool, an 80 station fitness suite and a community room/studio space. A children’s holiday play scheme will also be introduced as part of the range of services and facilities on offer. The project is part of a city wide investment of nearly £40million to give Birmingham residents leisure and exercise facilities fit for the twenty first century.
The current leisure centre, on Mason Road, will stay open whilst the new Erdington Leisure Centre is being built. Initially the new centre will provide around 50 jobs including current staff who will transfer across to the new building. It is envisaged that further new jobs will be created in the future.
Birmingham City Council’s Deputy Leader Cllr Ian Ward said: “I am delighted that our residents in Erdington and the surrounding area will soon be benefitting from a new leisure centre and I thank our partners for working with us to provide cost effective and modern facilities. Despite the considerable budgetary restraints we face, we will continue to support and encourage people to remain active and pursue a healthy lifestyle.”
Building work is being undertaken by ISG Construction plc, who were awarded the contract for new leisure centres at Erdington, Northfield and Stechford. BCLT is also delivering a programme of refurbishments to Fox Hollies Leisure Centre; Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre; Beeches Leisure Centre and Wyndley Leisure Centre.
